Drop-Stop sealer was specifically designed for application to metal roofs and problem areas such as gutters, expansion joints, etc. Drop-Stop can easily be applied over sloped, contoured surfaces and will give long lasting, colorful protection, according to the company. Made from select synthetic rubbers, Drop-Stop is applied effortlessly as heavy bodied paints. This unique material actually stretches and recovers to bridge roof joints in which thermal movement can be expected. With 1500 PSI tensile strength and 600 percent elongation capabilities, Drop-Stop can single handedly tackle most metal repairs. White Drop-Stop is stocked in: 20 oz. sausage packs, 1 gallon pails, 5-gallon buckets and 55-gallon drums.

When Brice Harris of Harris Craig Architects began designing a new health complex in Tyler, Texas, he knew his client wanted to maintain continuity with the company’s other medical facilities but at the same time update the look. The roof and wall panel systems became the key to meeting both design goals.

The standing seam metal roof and metal wall panel systems are now the signature architectural features of the CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Herrington-Ornelas HealthPark. The new construction project encompasses some 43,000 square feet of space housing an urgent care clinic, medical offices, a physical therapy area and a fitness center.

The Design

Harris Craig primarily focuses on institutional projects, including schools. About a quarter of the firm’s work involves health care facilities. On this project, a merger while it was underway added a few wrinkles in the design process.

Crews from Tyler Roofing installed the metal wall panels, which included PAC-CLAD HWP panels and PAC-CLAD flush panels from Petersen, as well as Longboard Siding in Dark Cherry Wood Grain from Mayne Coatings Corp. Photos Petersen.

“The hospital system is CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances,” Harris notes. “When we began work on the project, it was for Trinity Mother Frances, and they partnered up with another hospital network, so part of the challenge on this job was switching the branding in the middle of the project. Luckily our overall design fit very well. The branding changes were more prominent on the inside of the building and didn’t have much effect on the exterior design.”

The property is strategically located at the intersection of two busy roads, and the highly visible site posed some concerns. “We really didn’t have a back of the building,” Harris explains. “The challenge of the design really was to efficiently present this building well both to the street and to the people who would be approaching it from the opposite side. That actually drove a lot of how the building form turned out, along with our desire to both help modernize the look of the clinic a little bit and to tie it back to some of the existing branding.”

The roof was designed to echo the other structures but uses different materials. “They share the prominent use of the gable on the building, but here we brought it forward into a contemporary design aesthetic,” Harris says.

For this project the design team specified a standing seam metal roof manufactured by Petersen that encompasses approximately 6,000 square feet. Low-slope roof sections over each wing were covered with 60-mil TPO roof system manufactured by GAF.

Wall panels were used to extend the sleek, modern look down to the ground, in contrast to the many brick buildings in the area. “We wanted to lighten up the look a little bit and bring in some new materials as part of the modernization,” Harris says. “We have composite panels, horizontal panels, and wood-look aluminum panels.”

Key concerns included making sure the various systems tied together perfectly. “The transition between the wall and roof is a very important detail for us,” Harris notes. “The most complicated areas for us on this project would be at the front of the building with the big glass windows and composite panels, and areas where the composite panel ties into the TPO roof and the metal panels. That was probably the trickiest part of the design.”

The Installation

Tyler Roofing was a natural fit for the project due to its established relationships with the architect and general contractor, WRL General Contractors, headquartered in Flint, Texas. “We do a lot of work in Tyler, and we’ve worked on a lot of Harris Craig projects,” says Tommy Ray Sukiennik, a 24-year veteran at the company, which was founded by his father and uncle 35 years ago. “We’re one of the competitive contractors in our area.”

Herrington-Ornelas HealthPark is located at a busy intersection and is visible from all sides, so the building was designed to present itself well to every vantage point. Photos Petersen.

The company’s share of metal roof and wall panel work is increasing, notes Sukiennik. “We’ve been doing standing seam roofs for more than 20 years. Lately we’ve been doing a lot of wall panels — Petersen HWP wall panels, flush mounts, things like that. As far as metal goes, we try to be diverse enough that we can install any system that comes out on the plans.”

Tyler Roofing installed the roof systems and wall panels on the project, along with gutters, soffits and trim. Work began with the fully adhered GAF EverGuard TPO roof system, which was installed over the metal deck, 4 inches of polyisocyanurate insulation and a half-inch cover board. The low-slope roofs over the wings house the HVAC units, but details involved were straightforward, notes Sukiennik. “It was all pretty basic,” he says. “At some points we had to tie in the TPO roof, the metal on the parapet wall, and the metal on the exterior wall all together.”

To dry in the gable roof, crews installed 4 inches of polyiso insulation and a self-adhering waterproofing underlayment. They also installed custom-fabricated gutters. “We built a gutter that hangs off the edge of the eave that a starter clip goes on top of, so it’s integrated into the roof,” Sukiennik notes.

The 18-inch-wide, 24-gauge PAC-CLAD Snap-Clad roof panels in Champagne Metallic were delivered to the site. “We order all of the panels to length from Petersen,” Sukiennik says. “One of the plants is here in Tyler, and actually not far from the job, so it was very convenient. All of the rest of the trim, parapets, wall flashings and components we fabricated ourselves in the shop with metal they supplied.”

The roof panels were raised to the roof using a SkyTrak lift with specially built cradles. The wide-open jobsite and the flat roofs on either side of the gable made the roof area easily accessible. “It was just a straight run gable roof. There are no penetrations in the standing seam,” Sukiennik says. “The panels are easy to install. The Snap-Clad panels just pop together.”

The standing seam metal roof and metal wall panels were used to give the complex a modern look, while the prominent gable roof echoes the hospital system’s other facilities. Photos Petersen.

Wall panels were installed using scissor lifts and ladders. “We kept running a laser to make sure everything was horizontal and lined up,” says Sukiennik. “Then we finished it off with the trim and the cap. We tied everything into the expansion joints and trimmed it out so it was as clean as could be.”

The workload on this project was greater than usual, so skillfully managing the crews was important. “Usually we roof a building, and then we have to wait on the other contractors to do the brick and stucco on the exterior, and then we have to come back and trim it out and finish,” Sukiennik explains. “On this project, we did probably 70 percent of the exterior of the building, so we were working on the building continuously while we were doing other projects.”

The good news was that the crews had most of the work under their own control. “There were no issues of expecting someone else to make sure things were done the way we wanted them done. We tied everything in ourselves.”

Work was completed in the summer, so the heat was an issue. “When we put the wall panels on during July and August, it was pretty hot, so we had to work on one side of the building in the morning and then switch sides in the afternoon,” Sukiennik says, noting that his company is used to coping with extreme conditions. “In East Texas, we can have every type of weather there is within three days almost.”

Team Effort

Sukiennik credits WRL General Contractors for the well-coordinated jobsite. “We work on a lot of projects with the same contractors, so we all watch out for each other,” he says. “We do a good job of staying on top of things. We do a lot of work here, and this our family town, so we take pride in our work. We do the best we can.”

Comprehensive details and pre-production meetings ensured the installation was uneventful, according to Sukiennik. “The architect does a good job of making sure everything blends,” he says. “We usually don’t have issues with details and things like that. They try to make it as smooth as could be.”

During construction, members of the design and installation teams stayed in touch to make sure everything went according to plan. “This project was only about a mile from our office, so it was convenient to stop by, and it was a project we were really excited about,” Harris recalls. “We meet frequently with our installers to discuss details. We like to learn what works and what doesn’t work from the crews in the field. We want to listen to the wisdom of the guys who are out there actually doing the work.”

It’s all part of making sure the building owner is satisfied. “What we were excited about for this project was the opportunity to define a new look for CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances to help them match the quality of their facilities with the quality of care in Tyler and the region,” Harris says. “We see one of our strengths as building long-term relationships with our clients to give us the opportunity and trust to do that.”

A standing seam metal roof comprised of zinc panels was the natural choice to clad the roof of This new construction project in the North Woods of Wisconsin features a standing seam metal roof comprised of zinc panels. Photos: RHEINZINK

A standing seam metal roof comprised of zinc panels was the natural choice to clad the roof of a new cottage located in the North Woods of Wisconsin. Approximately 2,500 square feet of RHEINZINK Double Lock Standing Seam Panels met the owner’s criteria. “The multi-level roof was a key part of the design and we wanted it to blend into the environment as much as possible,” the owner says. “You won’t find another material that looks as natural and exquisite as RHEINZINK.”

The prePATINA blue-grey panels were fabricated by RHEINZINK systems partner Sheet Metal Supply (SMS), Mundelein, Illinois. The installation team was led by Lou Rondeau of Natural Metal Associates, Mont Vernon, New Hampshire. Rondeau is an experienced zinc craftsman and instructor in fabrication techniques. He was assisted by Craig Hardin of Hardin Construction, Union Bridge, Maryland, and Chad Wolbert of W&W Construction, Williamsport, Maryland. The three men were on the job for five days. The general contractor on the project was Rod Flohr Construction, LLC, Tomahawk, Wisconsin.

“Rondeau did a fantastic job on the installation, including some beautiful detailing,” the owner says. He specifically mentioned the crescent seams at the eaves. “It’s a designer detail,” according to Rondeau. “Most guys will do a straight up and down 90-

Approximately 2,500 square feet of RHEINZINK Double Lock Standing Seam Panels were used to construct the roof. Photos: RHEINZINK

degree edge. But we like to spend a little extra time on the detailing and seaming. RHEINZINK can last a lifetime so it’s important to make the appearance as classic and timeless as possible. I really like working with the qualities and craftsmanship associated with it.”

Overall, the job was relatively straightforward, according to Rondeau. “The greatest challenge was getting to the site in the North Woods,” he says. “But the cottage turned out to be a real gem in that wilderness environment.”

The Jaindl Farms office complex sits on an a 12,000-acre turkey farm complete with its own feed mill. Photo: Steve Wolfe Photography.

Jaindl Farms is a multigenerational family business that encompasses a land development company and a fully integrated turkey farm. Its headquarters sits on 12,000 acres of farmland in Orefield, Pennsylvania, where the company grows the crops to make the feed for its turkeys. When the owners contacted MKSD Architects in Allentown, Pennsylvania, about adding space to their offices, the goals were to provide room to expand and to honor the Jaindl family’s history and legacy.

“The owner has a deep appreciation for all things agrarian and for old barns,” recalls Todd Chambers, partner, MKSD Architects. “One day we were meeting about the project, and he said, ‘What do you think about reusing the timber frame of an old barn?’ A light bulb went off.”

A large barn in Northampton County was located and dismantled, and the frame was repurposed for the office addition. The new two-story stone structure connects to the existing one-story office building, which was roofed with natural cedar shakes. A standing seam metal roof was specified for the new structure in

The new two-story addition was constructed with wood repurposed from a barn built around 1900. It was topped with a new standing seam metal roof. Photo: Steve Wolfe Photography.

keeping with the traditional architecture of the area. “We were concerned about the aesthetics, so standing seam was an obvious choice,” Chambers says. “We tried to keep the penetrations to a minimum and keep them out of the view of the main facade.”

The roofing contractor on the project was The Gehringer Company, headquartered in Whitehall, Pennsylvania. The company was called in to handle the project by the general contractor, Allentown-based Bracy Contracting Inc. The Gehringer Company’s president, Tom Gehringer, recommended a Dutch Seam roof system manufactured by ATAS International because it had the durability and aesthetics the project required, but was also easy to install. “It’s less labor-intensive than other systems because it doesn’t require a mechanical seamer,” he notes.

A Turkey Shoot

The roofing installation went very smoothly, according to Gehringer and Chambers. The Gehringer Company crews installed 6,400 square feet of ATAS MRD-110 Dutch Seam panels on the roof. They also installed approximately 500 square feet of metal panels as siding on the dormers. “It’s a 12-inch-wide piece with a raised section at the lock,” notes Gehringer. “When it’s installed looks like board and batten siding.”

The roof features dormers to bring in natural light. The dormers are sided with metal panels to minimize roof maintenance. Photo: The Gehringer Corporation.

Installation began in January 2017, so the weather posed the biggest challenge. “We did it when the temperatures were pretty low. The highs were in the 20s,” Gehringer recalls. “The nice thing is you can install the system in almost any temperature.”

After ATA-Shield high temperature synthetic underlayment was applied to the entire surface of the plywood deck, the roof panels were installed. “We worked from our aerial lifts,” Gehringer explains. “We purchased two aerial lifts several years ago and now use them for almost all of our steep roofing installations.”

Details included SL-2 Snow Meister snow guards from Berger Brothers. “In this climate, one of the tricky pieces with standing seam is sliding snow, so we specified snow guards that clamp to the standing seams,” Chambers says. “The ones we used emulate the turkey tail feathers.”

Roofing crews also tied in a small section of new cedar shakes to extend the hallway of the existing structure and connect it to the new addition. “We installed the original cedar shakes on the adjacent section for Bracy Contracting almost 20 years ago,” notes Gehringer.

The project went off without a hitch. Gehringer credits his company’s experienced crews and field supervisors for its

The snow guards installed on the project were chosen in part because they reminded the business owners of a turkey’s tail feathers. Photo: The Gehringer Corporation.

excellent track record. “I believe we’re one of the larger architectural metal roofing installers in our area and have virtually no callbacks on roofs we install,” he says. “What it boils down to is having people that know how to do it right — and having people that are committed to doing it right. And with architectural metal work, you have to take your time and do it right. This metal roof is going to look exactly like it looks now for at least 30 years.”

Looking back, what strikes Chambers is how different this project was from his typical assignments. “We’re commercial architects. We do a lot of health care work,” he says. “The ability to design something that’s not done every day, and is different than your typical approach, is refreshing and fun.”

The Attachment Solutions & Products brochure contains information about what S-5! attachment products can be used for and how to correctly use them. The S-5! line of aluminum and brass attachment products are extremely versatile, fitting most standing seam and exposed fastener metal roof profiles, including most structural and architectural profiles.

The Otto M. Budig Theater is the home of the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. The new theater was designed by GBBN Architects in Cincinnati. Photos: Petersen Aluminum Corp

For many new arenas and theaters, the sheer size and scope of the project can pose the biggest hurdles. At the new Otto M. Budig Theater, home of the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, the problem was the reverse. The intimate theater was shoehorned into an existing space up against an adjacent building, so logistics were tight. But that didn’t mean the roof system couldn’t be striking. Designed by GBBN Architects in Cincinnati, the building’s exterior features daring angles and multi-colored metal roof and wall panels that combine to help capture the spirit of the Shakespearean theater.

Matt Gennett, senior project manager and vice president of Tecta America Zero Company in Cincinnati, oversaw the roofing portion of the new construction project in the Over the Rhine section of Cincinnati on the corner of Elm Street and 12th Street. “This building was plugged in downtown, and they fit everything in real tight,” he says.

Approximately 5,400 square feet of PAC-CLAD 7/8-inch, 24-gauge Corrugated Panels from Petersen Aluminum Corp. were installed on the metal roofs and walls. Tecta America Zero Company installed the metal roof systems, as well as a TPO roof manufactured by Carlisle SynTec over the main structure and mechanical well. Work began in January of 2017 and the roofing portion of the project was wrapped up in late August.

The Metal Roof System

The building features two different metal roof systems. The roof on the Elm Street side is comprised of three intersecting triangle-shaped sections in two colors, Champagne Metallic and Custom Metallic Bronze. “There were several unique angles on the roof,” Gennett explains. “On the top, there was a second metal roof, a shed roof that went down to the 12th Street side.”

The metal roof systems were installed over a 2-inch layer of polyisocyanurate insulation and a 2-1/2-inch nail base from Hunter Panels, H-Shield NB. The nail base is a composite panel with a closed-cell polyisocyanurate foam core, a fiber-reinforced facer on one side and, in this case, 7⁄16-inch oriented strand board (OSB) on the other. The nail base was topped with Carlisle WIP 300 HT waterproofing underlayment to dry in the roof.

Crews also installed two rows of snow guards on the metal roof using the S-5! CorruBracket. “The snow guard was a little different,” Gennett says. “It was specifically designed for a corrugated roof.”

The TPO Roof System

The main roof and mechanical well were covered with the TPO roof system, which totaled approximately 8,300 square feet. After Carlisle VapAir Seal725 TR self-adhering air and vapor barrier was applied to the metal deck, crews installed two layers of 2-inch iso. Tapered insulation was applied over the top to ensure proper drainage. The insulation was covered with a 1/2-inch sheetrock and the 60-mil TPO was fully adhered.

Two large smoke hatches manufactured by Bilco were installed over the stage area. The ACDSH smoke hatches measured 66 inches by 144 inches, and are designed for theaters, concert halls and other interior applications that require limiting noise intrusion.

The Installation

The initial focus was to get the roof dried in so work could progress inside the building. The jobsite conditions posed a few challenges. The structure abutted an existing building, and the space was tight. The schedule necessitated multiple trips to the site, which can be a budget-buster on a small project. “We had a lot of trips in and out to accommodate the schedule and get everything dried in so they could meet the interior schedule,” notes Gennett. “We were sort of on call. We made three or four trips out to roof this small project, so it took a lot of coordination because it was completed in pieces.”

Crews tackled the TPO roof sections first. The mechanical well section provided several challenges. Changes in the mechanical well layout necessitated moving some curbs and making adjustments to the tapered insulation. “They were trying to get lot of equipment into a small space,” Gennett explains. “We had to make sure we could get the water to the low spots and route it around all of that equipment. That was probably the biggest challenge on the project.”

Staging material was also problematic, as traffic was heavy and parking space was at a premium. Material was loaded by a crane, which had to be set up in the street. “It’s a postage stamp of a site,” says Gennett. “This is a main thoroughfare, and there is a school right across the street. We had to work around school hours, and we couldn’t be working when the busses were coming in. We usually came in after school started, around 8 a.m., to load materials.”

When it came time to load the metal panels, the cramped jobsite actually paid off. “It was very convenient,” Gennett recalls. “We were able to load the panels onto the adjacent roof and just hand them over. We had a nice staging area for cutting, so all in all it wasn’t bad.”

The corrugated panels were installed with matching edge metal. “It’s not a complicated panel to install, and they look really nice,” Gennett notes. “On the Elm Street side, to the right of the valley was one color, and to the left was another, so we had to match the color with our coping. There were some interesting transitions with our metal. We also had to really pay attention to how the siding was being installed so we could match the metal to the siding and follow the transitions from color to color.”

The perforated wall panels were installed by ProCLAD Inc. of Noblesville, Indiana. “Once the walls were done, we came in and did the transition metal,” Gennett says. “We just had to make sure everything lined up perfectly.”

Planning Ahead

Ensuring a safe jobsite was the top priority for Tecta America Zero and Messer Construction, the general contractor on the project. “Both Messer Construction and Tecta America take safety very seriously. That’s why we’re good partners,” Gennett says. “We had PPE, high-visibility clothing, hard hats, safety glasses for the whole project. All of the guys were required to have their OSHA 10. Anyone outside of the safety barriers had to be tied off 100 percent of the time.”

Planning ahead was the key to establishing the safety plan and meeting the schedule while ensuring a top-quality installation. “This job had a lot of in and out, which is tough in the roofing business,” Gennett says. “But we planned ahead, we made sure everything was ready for us when we mobilized, and we did a good job of coordinating with the other trades. It took a lot of meetings and discussions — just good project management.”

Gennett credits the successful installation to a great team effort between everyone involved, including the general contractor, the subcontractors, and the manufacturers. “We pride ourselves on our great, skilled crews and our great field project management,” he says. “Our superintendents are there every day checking the work and making sure the guys have everything they need. Messer Construction is great to work with, and obviously having the manufacturer involved the project and doing their inspections as well helps ensure the quality meets everyone’s standards and holds the warranty.”

The theater is now another exciting venue in the Over the Rhine neighborhood. “It is really cool spot,” Gennett says. “It’s an up-and-coming neighborhood that’s grown in leaps and bounds in the last seven years. There is a ton going on in Cincinnati. It’s just another part of the city that makes it really fun to go downtown.”

Work on the first phase of the Orlando International Airport expansion project includes the South Airport Intermodal Terminal Facility and APM Complex, which features a standing seam metal roof

Architectural Sheet Metal Inc. has been in servicing the Orlando area for more than 23 years, specializing in commercial metal roofs and wall systems, primarily new construction. When Matthew Leonard, the company’s vice president, found out that the Orlando International Airport was proposing a new terminal project with a metal roof, he jumped at the chance to submit a bid.

He wanted to land the job because it would be the largest project the company has ever tackled, and one of its most prominent. He also wanted it for another reason—he knew he’d see it every time he drove to the airport. “For many years now, we’ve specialized in standing seam metal roofs. It’s our bread and butter,” he says. “We’ve done lots of schools, government building, military bases. It’s just something we enjoy doing. When this project came around, right here in our backyard, we knew we wanted to take it on. It’s larger than anything we’ve ever done, but it’s our specialty.”

The South Airport Intermodal Terminal Facility and APM Complex is a new construction project that coordinates mass transit for the airport, including regional rail systems and the Automated People Mover (APM). It’s part of the first phase of an ambitious $2 billion plan to almost double the size of the airport.

Architectural Sheet Metal installed the Berridge standing seam metal roof system, as well as internal aluminum gutters and a custom-fabricated aluminum bullnose that runs along the perimeter of the roof

The building encompasses approximately 200,000 square feet, and the structure is primarily covered with a standing seam metal roof. The scope of work for Architectural Sheet Metal included installing the metal roof system and internal aluminum gutters. It also included custom fabrication and installation of an aluminum bullnose that runs along the perimeter of the roof. “Every roof is radiused, and some sections have compound double raiduses,” Leonard notes. “The trickiest part of the project is probably the bullnose because all of the gable ends of the roof are radiused, and the large bullnose has to be welded on in 30-foot sections.”

Another tricky thing about the project is that the work was divided into two different contracts with two different construction managers. On one side of the building, which houses the monorail and parking garage, the project is overseen by Hensel Phelps, and on the other side, which handles the train lines, the construction is overseen by a Turner-Kiewit joint venture. The dividing point is a building expansion joint that runs across the middle of the roof. “We’re one of very few subcontractors out here that has a contract with both of the construction managers,” Leonard says. “They both have their own agendas, their own timelines, and their own completion dates, and it was a delicate balancing act working with the two of them.”

Installing the Roof

The roof system was designed to unify the elements of the structure and tie the building together. Some sections of the roof cover the building, while others serve as canopies, so there are two types of metal deck on the building. “The area we call the spine has a 3-inch-thick acoustical deck,” Leonard explains. “That was interesting because before we could put our 6 inches of polyiso on, we had to install batten insulation in the flutes. The acoustical decking is perforated, so you can see through it. That’s a little different, when you’re so high up. It spooked the guys at first to be able to see right through it.”

Crews dried in the entire roof with a waterproofing underlayment from MFM Building Products specifically designed for high-temperature applications.

The other sections were comprised of standard type B metal deck. Sections covering the interior were insulated, while canopy sections were covered with 5/8-inch DensDeck from Georgia-Pacific.

After the underlayment was applied, the welded aluminum gutters were installed. “The longest piece was 78 feet,” says Leonard. “We fabricated the sections, water-tested them and shipped them out. We used a crane to lift them to the roof.”

The roof system was supplied by Berridge Manufacturing, and the 24-gauge galvalume metal panels were roll formed at the site. “Berridge has a ZEE-Lock double-lock standing seam panel,” Leonard says. “We own one of their portable roll formers, and we have it on site here. We pick it up with a crane, and lift it up to the edge of the roof, and we actually roll form our largest panels straight out to the roof. The guys just catch the panels as they come out of the roll former.”

Metal roof panels were roll formed at the site. For most roof sections, the roll former was hoisted by a crane, to the edge of the roof, and crew members stacked the panels as they come out of the roll former.

Panels were stacked in piles of 10 for installation. There were 12 different roof surfaces, so as the roll forming crew moved along, other crews would start installing the panels. “Every stack was tied down with strapping to ensure that it wasn’t susceptible to wind,” Leonard points out. “With a hurricane in the forecast, we were very careful about that.”

The panels in the spine area had a tighter radius, so those panels were formed on the ground using separate curving machine. Lining up the panels perfectly was critical. “With a radiused roof, it’s sometimes harder to find things to measure off to ensure your panels are straight. This panel is a left-to-right system. It’s a male-female overlay with a continuous clip that Berridge manufactures. The panels are hand-crimped together, and then you do the first and second stage of the double-lock panels with an electric seamer. You just turn it on and it goes up and over.”

Details, Details

Fall protection posts were installed during the framing process, which helped with safety planning but posed problems when it came to detailing. “It’s nice to have permanent fall protection points to tie into, as everyone had to be 100 percent tied off, but there are close to 200 fall protection posts on the project that we had to cut around and flash,” Leonard says. “I’ve never seen so many posts on a roof like that.”

The aluminum bullnose was constructed after precise measurements were taken at the site. After they were custom painted to match the roof, the 30-foot sections were lifted into place and installed.

Because the posts were tied into the structural steel and couldn’t be moved, the company designed and manufactured a welded aluminum flashing detail to ensure they all looked the same no matter where they landed in the panel profile. “We set up a welded aluminum flashing that should last forever, and it’s welded, so it shouldn’t leak. We try to go above and beyond in our flashing details.”

Leonard points to his company’s fabrication experience as a key to its strength. “We try to be more than just a roofing company,” he says. “We try to be a custom metal fabrication company that fabricates the panels to precise specifications determined by the site. We custom fabricate metal and then, as roofers, we install it. We like to have that double whammy. Not many people have that ability to do both.”

The company’s expertise came in handy on the bullnose. “The bullnose was originally bid as 22-gauge metal,” he says. “We looked at it and we didn’t like it. It’s a large, 9-inch radius, and we felt the thin, light-gauge metal would shake in the wind. Every 10 feet would be a lap joint with caulk, which would be susceptible to wind damage. We came up with the idea of using a welded piece of .080 aluminum. Once it was approved, we purchased a 100-ton press brake with a custom die to fabricate this bullnose.”

The bullnose was constructed from precise measurements taken at the site. “We took the radius off of the building and created jigs in our warehouse,” Leonard explains. “We welded pieces together in 30-foot sections, and we shipped them to a local painter who coated them with baked-on Kynar to match the roof.”

The bullnose was designed to hook into the gutter strap and wrap around onto the fascia, where it is screwed into the framing. In areas where there is no gutter, sections of the bullnose are equipped with a larger flange with an S-hook built into it to attach it to the roof. Corner pieces tie it all together.

Watching Out for Irma

Dealing with two different GCs was challenging, in part due to changes in the schedule. “Originally, we were supposed to finish one side first and then start the other side, but both phases of the project ended up starting around the same time,” says Leonard. “This doubled the manpower we needed on the job.”

Photos: Aerial Innovations

For changes like the bullnose, Architectural Sheet Metal had to make sure RFIs were submitted and approved by both sides. “Sometimes it was hard to keep track of who we submitted it to, but it worked to our benefit at times. Once it was approved by one side, it was easily approved by the other.”

The schedule had the crews working in hurricane season, and precautions were taken to make sure the job site was prepared for high winds. “When Hurricane Irma was approaching, I checked every single weather update every day until it made landfall,” Leonard recalls. “It hit on a Monday, and a full week ahead of that we were cleaning the roofs and preparing the gutters. We removed all debris on the jobsite because any trash on the roof could clog the downspouts. We added more and more men to the process throughout the week, and we shut the jobsite down on Wednesday. We took all of the material we had, stacked it, bundled it together, and we were able to move it all inside the building. We were pretty well complete on the Hensel-Phelps side, and Turner Kiewit brought in 40-foot Conex boxes for us to put our material in and secure it. They tried really hard to make sure the jobsite was secure.”

As the storm progressed, it deviated from the projected path, and no one could be certain which direction the winds might be coming from. “We just had to start battening everything down,” Leonard recalls.

Photos: Architectural Sheet Metal Inc.

Stacks of panels on the roof that were not yet installed were strapped every 2 feet on center. The entire state was in emergency mode, making things difficult. “For four or five days before the storm even hit, we couldn’t find water, rope and extension cords. Grocery stores were running out of supplies. Gas stations were running out of gas.”

After the storm passed, Leonard breathed a sigh of relief. The roof wasn’t damaged. The panels that had already been installed were in great shape, and the uninstalled panels weren’t harmed.

Elements like the weather are beyond anyone’s control, and Leonard notes his company tries to control as many variables as it can. “We have full control over the actual fabrication of the material and the quality of it,” he says. “When I call something in, I talk to our guy who works with me. Our company oversees it. Every morning I stop by the shop and follow up on the process on the way to the job site. We install it. I can make sure everything is OK.”

The project is nearing completion, and Leonard can’t wait to finish a landmark project he’ll see every time he makes a trip to the airport. “You can’t miss it,” he says. “It’s huge.”

METALCON 2017 was held in Las Vegas Oct. 18-20, and according to show management, exhibitors at the largest international event for the metal construction industry networked with more than 5,000 attendees, including designers, builders, developers, contractors, fabricators and suppliers from more than 50 countries.

“This is one of the unique venues in the world where we have access to our entire value chain,” said Mark MacDonald of Valspar. “We see everyone from coil coaters all the way down to building product suppliers, regional roll formers and even roofing contractors. It gives us an opportunity to network with our current customers, talk about new business opportunities, as well as meet our future customers. There really isn’t another venue quite like this, and we are happy to be here.”

“It’s been an incredible attendee show,” said Scott Cosens of Samco Machinery, manufacturers of custom metal roll-forming equipment. “We have never seen this type of volume of people. We were running out of paper on our leads. All I can tell you is, if you are not coming to METALCON, you are missing out, and what’s even more amazing, I am finding that still again, all of these suppliers and providers are coming from all over the world, not just the U.S. and Canada. We are never not going to be here. We have been here for well over two decades, and we are already back for next year.”

A newcomer to METALCON this year was DuPont Tyvek Protec, a synthetic roofing underlayment product. “We couldn’t be more excited to be here,” said Roofing Segment Leader Susan Homan. “Honestly, after the first day, our expectations have been exceeded. The quality of the crowd here is really great. We have had really great engagement with contractors and other professionals alike, so we are really glad to be at METALCON.”

Another new exhibitor was Stubai, an Austrian manufacturer of roofing and metalworking tools. “We decided to come to METALCON because we can meet our final customers who actually work with our tools,” said Sites Manager Lukas Braun. “It is interesting for us to get to know how they use the products, but we can also get in touch with decision makers, new retailers, and existing retailers. For us, the U.S. is a very big country so it is more convenient for us to meet all of our customers here.”

Geoff Stone with MetalForming Inc., a provider of high-tech sheet metal component manufacturing machines, has attended all 27 METALCON shows. “This was an absolutely terrific show,” said Stone. “The marketplace is in great condition. There’s lots of folks spending money. I think we probably did somewhere in the neighborhood of $3 or $4 million dollars’ worth of business as a result. As usual, METALCON is our most important show, and we’ve really enjoyed being here.”

Lee Ann Slattery, sales support manager for ATAS International Inc., manufacturers of metal panels, has also attended METALCON for many years. “This year, especially, seems to be a very busy show for us,” said Slattery. “We’ve had a lot of attendees come by our booth, a lot of questions being asked and a lot of different types of people attending. We have talked to contractors, building owners, international folks and facility mangers, so it really has drawn a wide variety of people, and that’s one of the reasons we like doing this show.”

Ken Buchinger of MBCI, manufacturers of metal roofing and wall panels, has been in the industry for more than 40 years and has attended every METALCON. “I have seen this industry grow over the years,” said Buchinger. “I have also seen it become much more complex from the standpoint of product offerings, product installation and the details on roofs, so installers need good information and training. The Metal Construction Association (MCA) and METALCON provide quite a few training programs to help contractors, both with installation and how to run their businesses.”

“The show itself is great because you have the opportunity to meet different manufacturers and contractors, learn from each other and learn about ancillary products available to integrate into your offerings,” said Buchinger. “Its’s a great opportunity for contractors, whether you have been one for just a few years or for many years; there is always something to learn at METALCON.”

“2017 has been an incredible year for METALCON,” said Jonathan Rider, an MCA Board Member and Chief Administrative Officer with D. I. Roof Seamers, manufacturers of roof seaming tools. “This year we broke all kinds of records with attendance and pre-registration, with booth sales and even with on-site sales. It also offered a whole new take on our education track with incredible success and amazing new topics such as drone services for roof inspections, marijuana laws and new litigation affecting the work force. We are going to continue developing the education track in conjunction with the AIA to adapt to the industry’s needs and the way our needs are changing in the field.”

“This year’s attendees were from all over the world,” said Rider. “We are really branching out as METALCON is becoming truly an international show, and we had a lot of incredible feedback from our exhibitors on how great the international attendance was. In addition, local attendance was fantastic. So many local erectors and builders left their job sites and came out on to the show floor to join us. They were elated with the technology and new innovations offered on the show floor by exhibitors.”

“2018 promises to be the biggest year in recent history for METALCON,” said Rider. “Charlotte is an amazing city. You can expect a bigger show, more attendees and the newest technology available.”

This year’s metal roofing games, another sold-out event, awarded a total of $8,500 to its winners. Six teams of two competed in five “competitions,” inspired by this year’s theme “Aces of Las Vegas.” Each competition paid $500 to the winning team. Top awards each day included a Daily Points Award of $750. The winner on Wednesday was Joe Arnold and Paul Kulb of Thomas Phoenix International. On Thursday, Matt Cox and Justin Hopta, also of Thomas Phoenix International, were the winners. On Friday, both teams came together in a face-off where Cox and Hopta were victorious in taking home the MCA METALCON National Metal Roofing Championship and $2,000. Next year’s teams will be able to pre-register for the Charlotte games beginning in February 2018.

“Las Vegas was the best show for us in years,” said Claire Kilcoyne, METALCON Show Director. “Business is back! The aisles were packed, and exhibitors were thrilled with the traffic, leads and sales. We saw an increase in international attendance, successfully raised $4,000 for the America’s Fund and once again, enjoyed a full house for the MCA Triumph Awards. We are already gearing up for Charlotte, which promises to be another great show.”

METALCON is produced by PSMJ Resources Inc. and sponsored by The Metal Construction Association. For more information, visit www.metalcon.com.

When the design for Logan High School in Russellville, Ky., called for metal panels measuring 161 feet, 2 inches in length, the decision was made to roll form them on the job site. Photos: Morin, a Kingspan Group Company

The design for the metal roof on Logan High School called for panels on one side of the roof to measure more than 160 feet. That posed logistical problems, to be sure, but the project proved there’s more than one way to deliver roof panels.

Morin, a Kingspan Group Company, recently introduced an onsite roll-forming process that runs panels to the eaves, where they are gathered and stacked for installation. Logan High School in Russellville, Ky., was the first project that put the method to the test. Panels on one side of the roof were 46 feet long, while panels on the other side measured 161 feet, 2 inches in length.

According to the company, the on-site process offers the benefit of producing panels of almost any length without lapping them. This is especially useful when restrictions on the length of delivery trucks and their loads do not allow for panels to be delivered via truck.

On this project, 89,000 square feet of SymmeTry Roof Series panels in Regal White were installed. “For the longer panels, we had 11 men on the roof,” says Basil Slagle, production manager and roll former operator for Morin. “We also had three separate scissor lifts between the roll former and the eave, with men on them to guide the panels to the roof because that’s as close as we could get with the roll former.”

The SymmeTry Roof Series is a mechanically seamed structural roof system that is both symmetrical and hydrostatic by design. Slagle produced 18-inch wide panels with 2 1/2-inch legs from the 22-gauge, pre-painted Galvalume.

The start of the project was delayed by heavy rains, notes Slagle. “And that Kentucky red clay, if you’d walk on it wet, you’d sink into the clay up to your shin. They had trucks with four-foot tires getting stuck in the wet clay.”

Tough Field Conditions

When the rain stopped, Slagle got to the jobsite on a Monday and realized he would not be able to drive his 10-ton vehicle into place. “They had to build us a 300-foot gravel road so we could pull the machine into place, get it where we needed it to be,” he says. “We finally got set up that Thursday morning.”

Eastern Corp. installed the roof system, using crews ranging from 12-17 workers at a given time. Panels for the shorter side of the roof had to be transported over the ridge and stacked by hand. Photos: Morin, a Kingspan Group Company

Once the roll former was in place—about 100 feet from the roof eaves—the three scissor lifts were rolled into place in line between the roll former and the roof edge. Slagle then ran a “sacrifice panel” to use as a bridge, of sorts, from the roll former to the roof. Panels going on to the roof would slide across the sacrificial panel to the roof, where crew members would carry them to a staging spot on the roof. The sacrificial panel, almost 100 feet long, was eventually recycled.

Slagle ran the shorter panels first so crew members could haul them across the ridge to the opposite side of the building. Then the longer panels were produced and set up on the near side of the building. The Regal White panels were all covered with plastic film to protect them from the red clay on the boots of the installers, who had to walk on the panels to install the batten over the seams. After the battens were installed and seamed, the plastic film was removed. (Failure to remove the plastic film in a timely fashion will eventually lead to damage on the panels when the film is removed.)

“The installation went great,” says Nancy Mullins, senior project manager for Eastern Corp., of Norcross, Ga. “We had anywhere from 12-17 crew members at the site at a given time. The challenges were the logistical hurdles like getting the scissor lifts in place and getting the panels to the roof and stacking them.

On this project, 89,000 square feet of SymmeTry Roof Series panels by Morin were installed. Photos: Morin, a Kingspan Group Company

“We install all the panels and then come back to install the seam cap and do the seaming. We always wait to make sure everything is where it needs to be, in regard to any penetrations. We really had no issues.”

After the panels were in place, the battens were installed and seamed around the 2 1/2-inch legs of each pan. The battens were cut to 46 feet to match the panel length for the shorter roof. To batten and seam the 161-plus foot panels, the battens were cut to 81 feet and lapped near the center. Slagle ran panels for four buildings at the school, one attached to the main school building and three outbuildings still under construction.

Eastern also installed 1,100 linear feet of a snow retention system, the iBeam from Sno Gem. The iBeam is installed near the eaves on both sides of the roof, with the longer panels hosting a second row nearer the center of the roof.

Sandy Grove Middle School in Hoke County, N.C., was designed to be an energy-positive building. It generates 40 percent more energy than it consumes. Photo: Mathew Carbone Photography

When Robbie Ferris first presented the idea of a school building that generates more energy than it uses, people were skeptical. Now he can point to Sandy Grove Middle School in Hoke County, N.C., as proof that a high-performance school building can go well beyond net zero and generate 40 percent more energy than it consumes.

Ferris is the president of SfL+a Architects and manager at Firstfloor, a development company that specializes in public-private partnerships and design-build-operate agreements. “We designed the building, we own it and we lease it to the school district,” he says. “We monitor all of the systems remotely. One of the reasons we do that is because when you put really high-performance systems in buildings, you have to make sure they are operating at peak efficiency. It can take time to make sure everything is optimized.”

Three years after completion, Sandy Grove Middle School is outperforming its energy models, and the building continues to win accolades. It recently received Energy Star 100 Certification and has been recognized as the nation’s most energy positive school.

“Sandy Grove Middle School is a perfect example of a high-performance facility,” says Ferris. “With the public-private lease-back model, everyone wins. The students receive a quality school, it fits in to the school system budget, and it is energy efficient to help both total cost and our environment.”

The building’s systems were designed to be as energy-efficient as possible, and that includes the roof, which features an array of photovoltaic (PV) panels to generate electricity. “We wanted a roof that would last 30 years,” Ferris notes. “We’ve had a tremendous amount of success with TPOs, and metal roofs as well. This particular client wanted a metal roof look from the front, but they were very open to a membrane roof on other parts of the building. We made the decision to put the metal roof on the front of the building and a TPO on the wings at the back of the building.”

On this project, the warranties were important considerations, along with durability and energy efficiency. SfL+a specified a standing seam metal roof system manufactured by Dimensional Metals Inc. and a TPO system manufactured by GenFlex. “Obviously, if you’re putting a couple of million dollars’ worth of solar panels on your roof, you want to make sure you have a roof that is going to be problem free.”

A Smooth Installation

The installation was a challenging one, but everything went smoothly, notes Aaron Thomas, president and CEO of Metcon Inc. Headquartered in Pembroke, N.C., Metcon is a full-service general contractor that specializes in energy positive commercial buildings, so it was perfectly suited to serve as the construction manager on the project.

Photovoltaic panels were installed on both the standing seam metal roof and the TPO system. The systems on the low-slope roof sections are fully ballasted, and both sections were installed without penetrating the roof system. Photo: SfL+a Architects

Thomas and Ryan Parker, senior project manager with Metcon, coordinated the work of subcontractors on the job, including the Youngsville, N.C. branch of Eastern Corp., which installed the TPO and metal roofs, and PowerSecure, the solar installer on the project, based in Wake Forest, N.C.

The roof systems covered 85,000 square feet, and Sharp PV panels were installed on both the metal roof and the TPO system. Solar panels were also installed on freestanding structures called “solar trees.” Each solar tree is 20 feet tall, 25 feet wide and weighs 3,200 pounds.

“The TPO roof system was upgraded to an 80-mil product due to solar panels being added to the roof,” Parker notes. “It was 100 percent ballasted on the low-slope sections, with slip sheets being used below the racking on the TPO roof.”

On the metal roof, clips manufactured by S-5! were used to affix the solar racking to the seams. “There are no penetrations for the frames, and penetrations for the electrical wiring went through vertical walls, not the roof,” Parker says. “There were no penetrations anywhere in the roof system, which made all of the warranties that much easier to keep intact.”

The biggest challenges on the project, according to Parker, were coordinating the different scopes of work and ensuring all of the manufacturers’ warranty considerations were met. “We had two different kinds of roofs, both coupled with solar panels,” Parker says. “Like any rooftop with photovoltaic products, there had to be special attention paid to the warranties of all parties involved. Both Genflex and DMI were closely involved in coordinating details to ensure that the owner achieved a great roof free of defects.”

The building’s systems were designed for energy efficiency, and the roof features an array of photovoltaic panels to generate electricity. Photo: Mathew Carbone Photography

One key was developing a detailed schedule and keeping everyone on it. “We would meet once a week and huddle up on how it was progressing and what else needed to be done,” Parker recalls. “We found that by using a collaborative submittal sharing platform, all of the varying parts and pieces could be checked by all parties to ensure compatibility.”

There were multiple safety concerns associated with combining solar panels to the roofing system, so everyone had to be on the same page. “The roofing subcontractor and the solar subcontractor performed a joint safety plan that utilized common tie off points,” Parker notes. “The job had zero lost time.”

“Everyone coordinated their work and it was a great team effort,” Ferris says. “It was one of the smoothest jobs I’ve ever seen. We have not had a single leak on that project—not a single problem.”

Proof Positive

For Ferris, the greatest obstacle on energy-positive projects convincing members of the public and governmental agencies of the benefits. “The biggest challenges had nothing to do with construction; they had to do with just doing something new and different,” he says. “The toughest challenge was getting the school board, the county commissioners, the public and the review agencies on board. It took a very long time—and lots of meetings.”

Photo: SfL+a Architects

Now Ferris can point to Sandy Grove as an example of just how a high-performance school building can pay huge dividends. “As soon as you see it in real life, you’re on board,” he says. “It’s very exciting for people to see it. If we can get people to the school, they’ll walk away convinced it is the right thing to do.”

With Sandy Grove, the school district has a 30-year lease with an option to purchase. Ferris believes the lease model is the perfect solution for educators. “We’re responsible for any problems for the life of the lease,” he says. “If a problem does come up, we usually know about it before the school does because we monitor the systems remotely online.”

“In their world, buildings are a distraction from educating kids,” Ferris concludes. “This is one building that is not a distraction.”

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November/December 2018

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Roofing is a national publication that unravels, investigates and analyzes how to properly design, install and maintain a roof system. Through the voices of professionals in the field, Roofing’s editorial provides a unique perspective.